AdoptionAdoption is not an easy process no matter which side you are on. I work with all sides of the adoption triad: adoptees, prospective/new adoptive parents, and birth parents to help them navigate the many emotions they may be feeling. Some of the issues include:

Broken adoptions

Anxiety related to the process

Birth parent search and reunion

Pregnant and considering adoption

Grief and loss

Attachment issues

Abandonment issues

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)DDP was created byDan Hughes, a Clinical Psychologist from Pennsylvania. It is a family-based therapy and is focused on helping children develop a secure attachment with their adoptive and/or foster parents. Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy, known as PACE, is used to help children regulate their feelings about their past and create new meanings in the child's life story. I have completed Level 1 Training of DDP, offered through the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition in St. Louis. More information can be found at: https://ddpnetwork.org/